Why now?
by Clary Chase
Summary: Something is happening in some island near Berk and Hiccup, being the chief, has to make a decision. Astrid doesn't like it but a chief protects his people and duty is calling...
1. Chapter 1

**Sorry if I made some mistakes. hope you enjoy! ;)**

**-Clary Chase**

* * *

Several girls whispered holding their hands on their mouths and their looks full of jealousy and hatred as Astrid walked through the village.

She held her head up and tried not to care about it. She knew what they were talking about. They were just envious because she was with Hiccup and she was probably the most powerful and important woman on the island along with Valka.

Some women were polite to wave or even bow to her, which she found exaggerated and also embarassing: she wasn't a queen or anything, after all.

A young woman with a baby caught her attention and she went to her.

"My lady" the woman said trying to bow.

"Don't" Astrid said "No need for that"

The woman smiled shyly "Yes, my lady"

"What's your name?"

"Aesa"

"Beautiful name. Just like your baby"

Astrid looked down at the little girl. She had red hair and green eyes just like her mother. Astrid smiled and the baby showed her toothless mouth giving a little laugh that made the girl laugh as well.

"Do you want to hold her?"

"Yes please"

She cradled the baby in her arms and she took her finger with her little puffy hands.

"Would you want one?"  
"Uh?"

"Would you want to have a baby?"

Astrid nodded slightly "Yes" then her smile faded as she handed the baby back "But Thor knows when we'll be able to have one"

Aesa looked at her with sympathy "The chief will make the war end very soon, I'm sure of it"

Astrid smiled at her "Thank you, Aesa. I'll see you around"

* * *

As she made her way towards Hiccup's house she lost herself in her own thoughts.

Things had happened so quickly in the past two months. She often found herself thinking about raising a family with Hiccup but had never had the nerve to tell him. He had just lost his father after all. Maybe it was too early to talk about it. But then, what if he never wanted to raise a family? Was she willing to be with a man who didn't want the thing every woman dreamed?

She shook her head trying to push those thoughts away and stopped in front of the door of the Haddocks' house.

She could hear voices from inside so she opened the door slowly.

Valka and Hiccup were both looking at something on the table by the fireplace.

The woman smiled at her while her boyfriend didn't even look up.

"Hey dear" Valka greeted her with a little hug.

"Hey" she said, then frowned "What's up?"

Hiccup finally glanced at her and she saw concern in his green eyes.

Valka shot her son a weird look and picked up her cane and went to the door "I'll leave you two alone"

When she was out of the house Astrid walked to Hiccup.

"Is everything okay?" She asked.

He took a step forward and wrapped his arms around her "Astrid.." he whispered pulling her close.

"Yes?"

He took away the leather cord and her hair fell on her shoulders. He bent over and kissed her neck "You don't even imagine how much I love you" he murmured against her skin.

She shivered and tilted her head "Hic... what?"

Her breath caught as he slid his fingers under her shirt and caressed the small of her back. She pressed her palms to his chest but then her eyes snapped open.

"Hiccup... no, wait"

She gently pushed him away and he looked down at her with a stern look "I know where this is going" she said "And right now I just want to talk"

He let his hands fall to his side and turned to look at the table.

Astrid followed his gaze: it was a map of Berk and its adjoining lands.

"A messenger reported that the chief of an island not so far from here wants to declare war to us. He was loyal to Drago"

She frowned "And...?"

He let out a breath "I gotta go and try to stop him"

Astrid opened her mouth to protest but Hiccup put a finger on her lips "I know what you're gonna say. But I'm the chief. And a chief protects his people"

She glared at the map and picked up the knife that was stuck in the paper "How long will it take?"

He fidgeted "Uh..."

"Hiccup"

"Almost a month"

"A _MONTH_?!"

"But it could take less time. It depends on the chief and-"

"YES! It depends! Hiccup, our wedding is supposed to be in two weeks! Have you forgotten _that_?!"

"No I haven't"  
"So what?"

He didn't answer. He went by the window and she just stood there catching her breath.

"You'll understand why I'm doing this. Maybe not right now but one day... one day we could have children and I don't want them to live in fear. Or to... put your life at risk by not stopping this fool"

Astrid swallowed "You're talking about family _now_?"

He turned to look at her "What? Of course I've thought f that before..."

She looked at her feet "I don't want you to go..." she said in a low voice. She felt silly and girly to talk to him that way. He always made her feel like that, like most girls felt, as if always needed his support, to know where he was and that he was safe.

"I have to", she hadn't realized he had come closer until she heard his voice so near.

"No you don't. Let someone go for you. You can do that"

"Astrid, this has happened before. Why are you so concerned?"

"Because I don't want you to die!"

"W-what?"

She gulped "You said this fool was loyal to Drag, right? What if he has some sort f power over dragons like he did? What if he tries to kill you? There will be no one there to throw himself beetween you and the enemy to save you. And I don't want you to die like your father. I just... I can't. I wouldn't be able to... I would never be the same without you"

When she looked up his smile was sad "The mighty Astrid Hofferson is actually admitting she needs the scrawny and clumsy boy?" he teased.

"This scrawny and clumsy boy happens to be chief and the most important person in Astrid Hofferson's life" she said seriously.

His smile faded "I have many reasons to stay alive"

She opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off with a kiss and the argument was forgotten, at least for that night.

* * *

Two days later the harbour was full of people. In a corner stood Hiccup with Toothless. Astrid watched them with watery eyes as they prepared for their journey.

When he was finished he turned to her "Hey, don't cry" he said in soothing tone.

She broke down into tears and threw her arms around him "Be careful" she managed to say through the sobs.

He held her tightly to his chest and stroked her hair "I will. Don't worry" he pushed her away and took her face in his hands "Don't stay here without doing anything. Make sure everything is ready for my return because I want to marry you as soon as I land on Berk. Understand?"

That made her laugh a bit and he smiled wiping her tears away "I'll come back. I promise. A leader always keeps his promises"

She didn't know how to respond so she just stood on her tiptoes and kissed him fully on the mouth. He wrapped his arms around her skinny body and answered to the kiss with both tenderness and passion.

When they finally pulled away almost everyone was staring at the young couple.

With one last kiss on Astrid's forehead Hiccup jumped on Toothless and yelled "Alright men, let's go!"

The ropes that held the ships docked were cut off.

"Remember what I told you" Hiccup told Astrid "Be ready my lady"

She smiled sadly and blew him a kiss.

Valka stepped forward and put an arm around her shoulders just as he took flight.

Astrid suppressed a sob.

"What is he doing?" someone in the crowd asked.

She looked up and saw Toothless throwing his fire balls in the air. When he was finished eight letters were written in sky "I LOVE YOU"

Then Hiccup flew away and Astrid watched the dragon disappear in the clouds.

"I love you too" she murmured quietly "Come back soon"


	2. Chapter 2

**Some of you asked for a second chapter so... here it is! :)**

**-Clary Chase**

* * *

Astrid glanced at the wedding dress on her bed. It was simple, long, made with a light green fabric that reminded her of Hiccup's eyes.

She tried not to cry at the thought of him. A month had passed. She had received only one letter from him in which he told her that everything was going as planned and that she didn't have to worry.  
After that -and it was just a week after his departure- no information had come to Berk from the skies.

She had tried to keep herself occupied with all the preparations for the wedding but her mind always went back to him. Valka and her mother were always by her side, as if they feared that, when unnoticed, Astrid would've jumped on Stormfly and taken flight.

She went by the window and sat there, letting her eyes scan the sky in search of a black figure like she had done so many times.

Someone knocked and her mother stepped in, closing the door behind her.

"Have you spotted anything?" she asked sitting next to her on the cushions.

Astrid shook her head "What if something happened to him?"

"He's the chief, Astrid. He'll be alright"

"Stoick was chief too. He was stronger than Hiccup. Look what happened to him"

Her mother closed her eyes briefly. She knew the loss was hard for her parents, they had always been close to the former chief, two of his best soldiers.

"Honey, you're marrying a leader" she said softly "You have to know this is the price you must pay. It's not the first and surely not the last time you'll have to wait for him to come home by your window"

The girl nodded but didn't meet her mother's gaze "I'm just worried. I have had no news from him and... well, I'm scared he won't come back to me"

The woman tilted her head "You must have faith in him. Hiccup is a strong man"

Astrid bit her lip and her mother stood up "Well, how about we go help Valka with the decorations?"

* * *

The Hall was almost empty when mother and daughter stepped in. Some of the men working there bowed to Astrid and she smiled awkwardly.

"You'll get used to it" Valka said approaching with a smile "Being the chief's wife makes you honor"

Astrid didn't know what to respond so she just looked at the green lights and the festoons that had been placed everywhere.

On the walls they had painted "Welcome back home!" and "Congratulations to the Chief and his Wife!"

She lost herself in her thoughts and she almost didn't hear that horns echoing from the distance.

"THEY'RE BACK!" a woman shouted running in.

Astrid stood up abruptly and ran out, til her feet carrying her automatically to the harbor.

The ships were near but she glanced up at the sky.

Her heart sank when she didn't see Toothless.

"Where is he?" she whispered as Valka and her mother reached her.

"Astrid..." her mother began.

The ships docked and soldiers and sailors began to get off and make their way towards their families.

Astrid stood there, her heart beating faster than it ever had, her hands clenched into fists by her side.

The ships were now empty. There was no movement from them. And there was no sign of the young chief.

Astrid began to shiver and collapsed on the grass. Her head was spinning.

"Astrid!"

Her head snapped upward. He was there, clumsy as ever, trying to make his way through the ropes of a ship.

She squeaked and ran to him as soon as he stepped on the grass and threw herself at him.

"You idiot!" she shouted "Did you want to wait a little bit longer to get off that damn ship?! I was dying!"

"I was just helping Toothless, we were tired so we decided to come back by ship"

"Well and what about the letter? No informations for tw- mph"

Not being able to contain himself he had cut her off with a passionate kiss.  
Astrid kissed him back cupping his cheek.

When they pulled away he looked at her with a dumb grin "Odin's beard you don't know how much I missed you"

She frowned and touched his chin "I'm not going to marry you like this" she said "Go shave"

She stood up and brushed her dress "Snotlout! Fishlegs! Tuffnut! Help your chief shave and prepare himself! The wedding will take place tonight!" she announced.

People shouted happily. Hiccup gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and smiled "You're already a leader"

* * *

Later, Astrid wouldn't have remembered much of the proper wedding.

For all the evening she kept looking forward for the moment she and Hiccuo would have been left alone and when the moment finally came she almost exploded of happiness, the thought of the fact they were actually married overwhelming her.

As she laid in bed, her head on Hiccup's bare chest, she thought of how lucky she was.

"My father would be proud of us" Hiccup said in a low tone.

She looked at him. He was smiling. For the first time thinking of his father brought a smile to his lips.

"He would" she agreed, smiling as well.

* * *

They couldn't know, but far far away from Berk, in a distant land the two of them would have seen so many years later, a big man smiled affectionally.  
"Aye, I'm really proud of you two"

* * *

**The end. Hope you guys liked it!**


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